You are in: Latest News » THE SALVATION ARMY RELEASES FIRST-EVER ONLINE AN...
Released 8 October 2009
THE SALVATION ARMY GOES PAPERLESS: RELEASES FIRST-EVER
ALL ONLINE ANNUAL REPORT
Personal Multimedia
Videos Tell Compelling Story of the Nonprofit's Work
Alexandria, VA (September 17, 2009) - For the first time ever, The Salvation Army released
its 2009 National Annual Report exclusively online covering the 2008 fiscal
year (October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2008). The annual report's digital
format allows The Salvation Army to broadly communicate with its donors in a
way it has never done before. The layout uses interactive financial charts, and
emotional video testimonials from clients and Salvation Army officers and staff
to shed light on the impact of the nonprofit organization throughout the year.
"The digital annual
report captures the work of The Salvation Army - and the stories of those we
help - in a way that a paper report can't," said Major George Hood, National
Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army. "As more
and more donors move online to learn about charities, this is one more way to
quickly and easily learn about how charitable contributions are being used to
help those in need."
By developing an online annual report, The Salvation Army
has done away with thousands of paper annual reports that will no longer be
printed. The environmentally friendly shift to a digital format lets the Army
reach a broad audience, while reducing the need to produce and distribute the
printed version by mail every year. Users will still have the ability to print
a formatted version of the document from their own computers.
The report also demonstrates The Salvation Army's
forward-thinking approach to communicating with the public by targeting a new
and younger audience of Internet users.
With an extremely progressive platform that highlights the Army's
critical work over the past year, the report combines the best aspects online
communication.
"I have never seen an annual report from any organization
that connects with people on an emotional level like this one does, yet also
has the ability to reach such a wide group of Salvation Army supporters." said Major
Hood. "The annual report is a testimonial that the Army will provide services
at the point of need and will work with our supporters and help our clients
through these challenging times just as we have for nearly 130 years."
The report was created and produced by Dallas-based
independent advertising agency The Richards Group and the agency's digital arm,
Click Here. The two companies developed
an easy-to-navigate story that allows the online audience to actively connect with
The Salvation Army according to their specific interests in the organization .
The report also includes video message about the Army's overall vision and
work, told through the eyes of National Commander Israel Gaither and clients'
personal testimonials.
In particular, the "Our Stories" section of the annual
report tells compelling personal stories of Salvation Army clients through
video testimonials. The individuals and families included received help and
guidance through a variety of Salvation Army programs nationwide. Programs
featured in the stories include Families and Individuals in Transitional
Housing (F.A.I.T.H.) in Sarasota, FL; Caring Partners Adult Day in Rochester,
MN; and Keep a Job in Wilmington, DE. Each video provides the audience with a
first-hand account of how The Salvation Army can change someone's life in a
year for the better.
"The interactive format engages and educates current and
potential donors in a more meaningful way," said Stan Richards, founder and
principal of The Richards Group. "Audiences can now actually see where and how
The Salvation Army is investing its time and money and hear directly from the
beneficiaries."
The Salvation Army will continue to produce the digital
annual report for future fiscal years, providing new financial information as
well as new testimonials from those served by the organization. The Salvation
Army's annual report is available at annualreport.salvationarmyusa.org.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal
Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His
name without discrimination for 129 years in the United States. Nearly 30
million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through
the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the
hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to
the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for
underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to support
those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.
The Richards Group
The Richards Group,
located in Dallas, is the largest independent branding agency in the nation.
Agency clients include the standard-setting brands of Advance Auto Parts,
Amstel Light, Bridgestone, Chick-fil-A, Firestone, Fruit of the Loom, The Home
Depot, Motel 6, Orkin, Patrón, Red Lobster and Zales. Total billings for the
agency were $1.25 billion in 2008. The Richards Group can be found at
richards.com.
CONTACT:
Jennifer Byrd
The Salvation Army
Jennifer_Byrd@usn.salvationarmy.org
(703) 519-5890
###